Barren
by Melinda the Proud Bookworm
Summary: UP FOR ADOPTION!  Bella moved to Forks after suffering a serious trauma in Phoenix.  She falls for Edward fast but is afraid to tell him her story.  He falls just as hard and tries to get her to open  up.  Tears, smiles, pregnancy, death, loss and love.
1. More Detailed Summary and Info

I've decided to continue! Things have calmed down in real life and I can now take time to write. I'm currently in the 'research' stage and have totally deleted the previous work. There will be some changes from the original story.

The dates and events have been changed to fit the more realistic ideas I'm trying to work with this time around.

I'm not working with any kind of deadline. I write down what comes to mind and all ideas that pop into my head. I have no chapters done right now. I've got bits and pieces of lots of chapters that have to be finished. It may take months before I get things going so put me on alert.

**Background: **

Bella moved from Phoenix after something tragic happened to her. She moved to Forks to live with Charlie. She and Jacob grew up together in Arizona and are still best friends. There will _not_ be love triangle.

**Timeline: **

Something happened to Bella on November 1, 2007. She moved to Forks on March 14, 2010 (Sunday). She is in town a few days before the prologue starts. She starts school on March 17, 2010 (Wednesday).

**Ages: **

Bella, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett are all 17 or 18, depending on their birthdays, human and Seniors attending Forks High. Jake is 19 and has graduated from High School in Arizona. I'm writing this to match up to this year.

**Relationships: **

Bella Swan is an only child. Edward and Alice are twins. Emmett is their slightly older brother. They are_ not_ triplets. Jasper and Rosalie are the Hale twins. Alice and Jasper are dating, as are Emmett and Rosalie.

For now, go to the next chapter for a prequel to set the stage.


	2. Prequel Carlisle

A Barren Prequel

~Carlisle~

January 13, 1993

My heart swelled as I watched my wife tuck our son into bed. Today had been full of joy and love. Esme and I had spent the evening caring for our twin niece and nephew. Edward and Alice were just six months old and quite the handful. Their parents, Anthony and Elizabeth, had planned a romantic night away in nearby Port Angeles and would be picking them up in the morning.

She bent over to kiss his forehead and whispered her love to him. He had worn himself out today playing with his young cousins. He eagerly shared his toys with them and showed off his deep dimples. He made them smile and laugh and was teaching them to blow kisses.

Esme walked to me and took my hand. We stopped to peek in on the babies and took a moment to watch them sleep. The sight before my eyes was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

Edward and Alice were wrapped around each other in their sleep. I remembered my sister in law Elizabeth telling me that her children refused to sleep away from each other. The love on her face was clear and genuine.

Both babies slept on their sides facing each other. Alice's face was level with Edwards shoulder as they cuddled. Each exhale from Edward ruffled Alice's jet black hair. Their legs were intertwined and their arms were bunched between them as they held hands. It was a precious sight.

My wife looked up at me and smiled before she took my hand and let ne to our bedroom. We went through our nightly routine before slipping into bed together. She turned away from me so I could curl around her back. I kissed the back of her neck and whispered my love to her. She reached back to stroke my hair as we relaxed from our evening with three children under a year old.

As the light started to shine through my eyelids I realized that I had slept soundly all night. I cracked my eyes open and was met with an incredibly beautiful view of my wife's face. She looked peaceful and content as she slept next to me. I turned over to look at the clock and saw that it was just before seven. I knew that Emmett would be waking soon and was slightly surprised that we hadn't heard from Edward or Alice.

I gently disentangled myself from Esme and got out of bed. After a trip to the bathroom I went to check on the kids. I peeked into Emmett's room first and found he was still fast asleep. He had his stuffed grizzly tucked in with him as he snored softly. I gently closed his door and walked down the hall to where Edward and Alice slept. Edward and Alice were still deeply asleep and had barely shifted their positions during the night. Occasionally they would both give a little baby grin and sign softly.

I shut the door softly behind me on my way to the kitchen to start our morning coffee. As I listened to my morning nectar gurgle I went to the front door to pick up the paper. I shivered a bit from the cold January air as I quickly picked up the bundled paper from the porch.

As I was adding the sugar to my coffee I heard Esme stir upstairs. She joined me after a few minutes and poured her own cup of coffee. We sat down to read the newspaper together as we did every morning. I handed her the Arts section as I read the comics. Esme often teased me about my love of the 'funnies' but I found it to be the perfect way to start the day.

She watched me out of the corner of her eye with a sly smile on her face. I pretended to be offended and humphed as I lifted the funny page to block her view of my face. Just as I was ready to put the comic pages down and pick up the business section there was a knock on the door. I looked up at the clock and noticed that it was now just before eight.

Just as the knocking stopped the doorbell rang. I heard the children upstairs wake and start to cry softly. Esme went to attend to the babies as I went to the door. I was not expecting Anthony and Elizabeth until closer to lunch time. The inn they were staying at in Port Angeles was about an hour away and I expected them to use this opportunity to sleep in.

When I opened the door my heart shattered. I found two uniformed police officers standing somberly on my front porch. Their badges reflected the sunlight just peeking over the horizon and momentarily drew my eye. Port Angeles Police Department. That could only mean one thing.

An eternity later Esme came downstairs with all three children awkwardly cradled against her chest. She was cooing happily to them and wishing them a happy morning. When she saw me inviting the police officers into the living room she gasped in shock. She hurried to me and offered Emmett to me. I pulled him tightly to my chest and breathed in the scent of his baby powder lotion.

Esme shifted Alice and Edward in her arms and snuggled them closer to her. She seemed to be trying to completely enclose them and protect them from the entire world. I asked the officers to have a seat as I tucked Esme into my side and eased us into the loveseat.

The officers explained that Anthony and Elizabeth left the inn in Port Angeles quite early this morning and were on their way home when a large truck ran a red light and t-boned their car. Anthony was killed instantly but Elizabeth held on just long enough to tell the paramedics to give her children a message.

Esme and I wept for the loss of our dear family. Elizabeth and Esme were not only sisters but best friends. We cried for the loss of Edward and Alice's mom and dad. We grieved for the loss of Emmett's aunt and uncle.

Alice and Edward would not know their parents. They were too young to form long lasting memories that they could carry into adulthood. They would never be orphans though. We vowed then and there that they would always have a home with us. We would raise them and make sure they knew the love their parents had for them.

After they left, Esme called our friends and neighbors Benjamin and Daisy Anne Hale to help with the children. There was no family to notify as both of Esme and Elizabeth's parents had passed on a few years ago and they had no other siblings. As Esme hung up the phone and cradled the babies to her breast I remembered the message Elizabeth had sent for her children.

"We'll always love you. Live life and love with all your heart. We'll be watching you from heaven."

I would tell them every day, for the rest of my life. They would know their parents love.

**AN- I'm posting this for several reasons. I want to practice writing while I'm doing research for the rest of the story, it's important to the story but didn't fit in as a regular chapter, and I just couldn't get it out of my head.**

**Please review so I know if there's anything I need to improve. I'm not very good at writing dialogue, it always seems forced to me, so that explains the style of the chapter. **

**I could use a beta to help with that if anyone is interested. Thanks a bunch!**

**On a totally random note- I miss Bob Barker. The Price is Right is not the same with Drew Carrey. Also, I first realized I was pregnant because of that show. Seriously, I cried whenever I watched that show and figured that something wasn't normal about that. Yeah.**


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